Kingdom of God

NEEDED: A NEW WORLD ORDER GIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST

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As if our so-called “world order” wasn’t dysfunctional enough—look at it now!

Wars and/or threats of war in the far east (Russia v. Ukraine, North Korea v. South Korea, China vs. nearly everyone they can think of (or so it seems) … and Japan rearming because of all the above. Europe, particularly Germany, remembering that it once had a massive army. America is presently trying to regain her footing in the scramble for position in an updated world order.

So far, with some exceptions, these primarily verbal threats dominate most of the tension points, but remember this…

Historically, words ultimately precede actions!

Jesus Christ said it: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Note the underlined statement especially.

The threats are starting to turn into real theaters of armed conflict.

The land of Israel at war

The current crisis began when Hamas (the Palestinian militant terrorist organization) attacked Jewish communities near Gaza during the night—just at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles. Others have already commented on the venomous nature of the attack that maimed, tortured and murdered hundreds of Israelis. It was as if the demonic spirit of Nazism reappeared in all its hate-filled venom, against particularly, the Israelite tribes of Judah and of Levi.

Shades of the 1920’s to the 1940s’…

Those few decades marked the rise and reign of Nazism. In the aftermath of World War Two that mindset was largely repudiated, but somehow not eliminated. Thus, it’s seemingly haunting reappearance.

However, Nazism was not a singularity. There were violent schools of thought – and action throughout human history. Many were Devil-inspired, but some were manmade philosophies that poisoned various cultures over time.

Please know and understand this, that poisonous thinking actually began with Adam and Eve eating from the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Part of God’s particular punishment for Eve, the mother-of-all-mankind, was: “To the woman He said: ‘I will multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children…’” (Genesis 3:16).

That punishment began when Eve’s firstborn son Cain murdered his younger brother, Abel. Thus was the start of human-to-human violence. Eve’s motherly pain has been repeatedly experienced no doubt billions of times since.

Every wrongful death of every mother’s son or daughter since cries out still for justice! All humanity has fostered a culture of Cain to one degree or other.

Time for a new world order

The time has come, the Bible says, for truth and mercy and peace. The time is also arriving for the return—the second coming—of Jesus Christ in all His power and glory as the conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:11-16).

Every day we’re drawn closer and closer to the time of Christ’s return!

Yet leading up to that great salvation of humanity there will be “wars and rumors of wars” as prophesied, but Jesus will also bring something else of incredibly vital importance. 

Time for world peace

With Christ’s return He will fully institute genuine, glorious world peace! With Him comes a culture of love for all humankind – the apex of God’s creation. This “present, evil world” will transform into the new and then present world of good!

May the tragedies of our time and the evil times behind us shrivel to insignificance in memory. And may God the Father and Jesus Christ heal the great sadness that humanity has generated over the millennia of human history since the Garden of Eden and turn it to joy and goodness in the Kingdom of God on earth!

– Commentary by Randy Stiver

*If you wish to reprint this commentary or learn more about how to do so, please contact me in the comments below. I reserve my rights to this content, it is not in the public domain for use or reprint without my permission.

The MIDDLE OF THE MILLENNIUM – CULTURE WITHOUT CONFLICT

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The “Millennium,” (literally meaning 1000 years) has long been an intriguingly profound, prophetic term within the historic, Sabbath-keeping Church of God.

Jesus and His apostles identified the Millennium, through many clear prophecies, as a critical turning point in future history. Beginning with His second coming, it marks the epoch in which Christ will rule all the nations on earth for a thousand years.

While the following verse seems to be about a change in animal nature, Note how Isaiah’s inspiring prophecy highlights the dramatic change in human nature…

 “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the Lord” (Isaiah 65:25). Is this only about animals? What do verses 17 through 25 tell us about what God desires?

Are people tamed too?

God’s plan from the outset has not been to spiritually convert animals. Nor was it God’s plan to merely “tame” people!

Repentant humanity (those who choose to repent, believe and live God’s way of life as Jesus taught) are God’s children and will be offered eternal life in the soon-to-come Kingdom of God – just as Christ’s millennial age commences.

Our carnal (meaning: physically oriented) minds must be changed through our personal repentance and response to God’s calling.

True, spiritual conversion is based on a fundamental, spiritual core-change in our individual lives, choosing to surrender our will and values and fully embrace the mindset and values of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Now back to the future middle of the Millennium

As part of the true, historic Church of God we’ve invested most of our prophetic, “world tomorrow” thinking on the cataclysmic events at the end of this age leading to Christ’s second coming.

We’ve also spent time analyzing and contemplating the early events in the Millennium itself… the establishment of world peace, the overhaul of education to be truly Christ focused, etc. Our concentration focused in on the early months, years, and decades after Christ’s return.

That deep, biblical thinking yielded—and still yields—rich insight into the Kingdom of God on earth—as well as how we should be living God’s way right now – today!

But at, say, the year 500 mark of “the” Millennium what will human culture and society be like? Think about that—because there’s another 500 years to follow before the 1,000 years of Christ’s rule ends. And so on, after that…because life is eternal in the Kingdom of God!

What will a culture without Satan (who will no longer be allowed to influence humanity from just after the second coming of Christ) be like? What will a culture shaped by the leadership of God, the Father, Jesus Christ and the resurrected saints, rather than self-centered human nature, be like?

Think of it…no more deception…no more conflict…and no more culture of disobedience. No war, just peace. It’s hard to imagine in our world now, isn’t it?

Culture based on cooperation

Without conflict at its core, what will entertainment be like? Books? What will we do without murder mysteries? Music? Without angst, how will composers and writers compose?

What about government that serves God first and is based on outgoing concern for others? A concept hard to imagine in our present, conflict driven political culture.

What about religion (remember, there won’t be any “way”, but God’s way!)? How will industry function without competition? What about family life and marriages based on cooperation? Without conflict in these foundational building blocks, how will that change the whole society?

What about stewardship of the planet? How will the productivity of the earth change when humanity works with what God created instead of against it?

As we enter the last day of the Feast and the Last Great Day soon begins, spend some time pondering these intriguing questions! And most importantly, how can you begin to apply that “conflict-less” culture in your own life now?

God’s way is profoundly deep and richly meaningful! Let’s celebrate the conclusion of the Feast being ever grateful that we are invited to be a part of it!

– Commentary by Randy Stiver

*If you wish to reprint this commentary or learn more about how to do so, please contact me in the comments below. I reserve my rights to this content, it is not in the public domain for use or reprint without my permission.